


Inside Both of Us

by miltonicsimile



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Magical Realism, One Shot, Prince! Seungkwan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 18:43:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13863696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miltonicsimile/pseuds/miltonicsimile
Summary: Seungkwan always thought he was the only one in the world with magic humming at his finger tips. But when he's sent on a mission by his father in a small village far from the capital, Seungkwan discovers he's not alone in his powers.





	Inside Both of Us

**Author's Note:**

> hello it sure has been a hot minute since I have posted anything so I am sorry school sucks lol
> 
> anyways heres so more verkwan i love u nerds dont hate me

He’s not supposed to be here. But Seungkwan doesn’t care, he needed to escape, a few moments away from everyone. The magic burning on his fingertips was becoming too much, he couldn’t ignore the warm tingle humming within him any longer.

He’s snuck into the empty courtyard hidden behind the modest town hall of the small village his father has sent him to. _Important business_ , the first real display of trust, to speak for his father in some crucial matter. Seungkwan still doesn’t understand, doesn’t know why he’s here. They were to start whatever utmost secret business that the emperor had to send son across the country to deal with soon. But Seungkwan needs a moment alone first.

The stone walls are tall and covered in lush green ivy, and there’s a small fountain at the centre. This is the longest he’s been alone since they left the capital, and probably the longest he’s gone without using magic he can remember.

Seungkwan makes his way through the courtyard, breathing in the fresh smell of vegetation and life. It’s calm here, the only sound being the soft equal fall of the fountain’s water. It reminds him of the gardens back home, where he usually visits to unwind and release the energy that’s always bubbling within. When he holds back for so long it always begins to feel like it’s flirting with spilling over the edge of his control.

He sits down on the edge of the small fountain, watching the waterfall. He doesn’t know how long he has until they come looking for him, they probably have noticed he’s slipped off already. But Seungkwan prays they let him have a few minutes, he needs this. It can’t be good to hold this much energy in for so long.

Seungkwan raises a hand delicately and lets some of the power flow out of him. The water in the fountain rises with the motion, reaching higher and higher into the air, defying all-natural laws. He lets out a breath and smiles a little because once the magic starts to seep out of him, it absolutely _pours_.

He waves his hand a bit, directing the water now high above him in a circle in the air. Then Seungkwan raises his other hand and flicks his wrist away. The water splits into a hundred different droplets scattering across the courtyard.

He laughs. It feels good. Magic always feels good, Seungkwan thinks that’s the point of it. It’s meant to be used, to make you feel good. Why else would it exist?

He brings his hands together, and all the water he scattered rises from where it’s fallen and instantly collects itself into a single mass suspended in the air above him. Seungkwan lets himself have fun now, worries forgotten. He makes the water dance above him, forming shapes that flow from one to another. It’s easy, as natural as breathing to him.

“I thought I was the only one.”

Seungkwan jumps to his feet, startled. The water that had been in dancing above him falls to the ground, soft platters against the stone of the courtyard and dozens of tiny splashes within the fountain.

It takes him a moment, but then Seungkwan spots a boy sitting on the top edge of the courtyard’s wall far above him. The boy breaks out into a wide smile when they make eye contact. Then he slips off the top and down the wall, holding onto ledges Seungkwan can’t see because of the thick ivy.

He watches the boy descend with easy, well-practiced grace like this isn’t the first time he’s climbed over the wall. When he lands on the ground with a crouch, looks over at Seungkwan who hasn’t moved, locking eyes again, the grin still plastered to his face.

“What do you mean?” Seungkwan finally manages to ask, his mind quickly running through all the possible scenarios that could unfold. It was foolish he realizes, to use his magic in such a public place. Anyone could have caught him, _someone did_. It feels like a slap to the face, to do something so stupid after so many years of keeping it concealed.

The boy stands and walks over to him. “I mean,” He says, raising a hand, making the water of the fountain rise and flow in the large steady circle, surrounding Seungkwan’s body. “That I thought I was the only person in the world who could do this.”

Seungkwan stares at him in disbelief.

He’s handsome, Seungkwan’s brain finally registers. Dark hair pushed back, displaying fair sharp features, and laughing eyes that are locked on Seungkwan. His mouth is split into an excited smile, like that of a child.

“So did I,” Seungkwan says, matching the boy’s smile. He points a finger towards the boy and the water that’s flowing around Seungkwan breaks to encircle the other boy too. “What’s your name?”

It’s almost a redundant question, countless other possibilities racing through Seungkwan’s mind at this discovery, but it’s the one that seems somehow the most important.

“Hansol.” He replies, brown eyes watching the easy display of magic Seungkwan does with an eager gleam. “And you’re not from here. You must be with the prince’s party, right?”

Seungkwan realizes that Hansol doesn’t realize who he is, though why would he?

Hansol’s dressed in tan loose pants tied at the waist, and a loose white shirt that hangs off him, collarbones on display. They’re roughly made, slightly dirty, and clearly commoners clothes. Such a juxtaposition to Seungkwan’s rose coloured silk with embroidery top, and rich plum trousers. His clothing is nice, as a prince’s should be, but if Hansol is from this village, he’s likely not to know one finely dressed outsider from another.

“Yes.” Is all Seungkwan says, unable to find the words to explain, and unsure if he should reveal his identity? But then he realizes that he’s been caught using his magic, and by the only other person he’s ever known to have magic. It seems foolish to lie about his name, who he is when he’s already shared the biggest and best part of himself with Hansol. Seungkwan must trust the other boy as much as Hansol has to trust him, they’ve already exposed their most hidden secret to each other.

“My name is Seungkwan.” He says, bowing slightly.

“That’s the same name as-” Hansol says the stops, eyes widening. “Oh.”

“What else can you do?” Seungkwan asks, directing the water back into the fountain and Hansol’s attention away from the shock of catching a prince using magic. “How far does your power go?”

The smile returns to Hansol’s face, and he raises to hands towards the wall of the courtyard he’d descended earlier. “I don’t know, really.” He pauses and looks away for a moment. “All I know is that when I’m told to stop I _have_ to, I can’t reach for my magic. But I can do this.”

Seungkwan watches as the wall suddenly is covered in young, pale green buds, then in full bloom of bright pink flowers. He breathes in the strong scent of the freshly bloomed magical flowers, and sighs. He’s never seen magic done by anyone but him, it’s incredible.

“And this,” Hansol says, flicking his wrists. Vines suddenly grow from the wall and approach them, slithering across the stone ground towards them at an alarming speed. The vines keep coming, forming a wide circle around the two of them. Seungkwan watches with an open mouth as the vines keep growing, sliding on top of one another until they’re surrounded by them, with only a small opening at the top.

“It’s amazing,” Seungkwan tells him honestly, looking up and around them.

“What about you?” Hansol asks, “how far does your magic go?”

Seungkwan shrugs. “As far I want it to, I guess.” He makes a fist, and then opens it, fire dancing in the palm of his hand. Then, he turns toward the vine wall around him and _blows_ on the flame, the vines turning to ash and blowing away from them in one easy breath.

“Do you know anyone else with magic?” Hansol asks, wide-eyed, watching as the ash blows away from them.

“No.” Seungkwan says, “I’ve always been the only one.”

“Till now.”

“Till now, till _you_.”

Seungkwan looks at Hansol in awe for a moment. He always thought he was alone, that no one else could ever understand him. Hansol has changed the way Seungkwan has ever thought about magic.

“There he is!” A loud voice booms, guards, rushing into the courtyard towards them. “Stop!”

Seungkwan gasps, confused, as armed men surround them, pushing him aside and grabbing Hansol.

“What are you doing?” He demands, horrified. Seungkwan’s magic is burning in his fingertips again, and he so wants to reach for it, to throw the men away from Hansol. He wonders why Hansol isn’t fighting back himself but then remembers. _Hansol can’t use his magic if he’s been told to stop._

“This is the prisoner your highness,” One of the armed guards tell him, and Seungkwan and see Hansol gasp in pain as the rough hands dig into his body. “This is why you are here, to be the emperor’s eyes on this case.”

“What?”

Then Jiho, his father’s advisor steps into the courtyard. Seungkwan is relieved to see her and goes to her. “What is going on? They won’t free Hansol!”

“Your Highness,” Jiho says quietly, “this is the very sensitive issue we’ve been sent to deal with. This boy…he has _magic_. I’ve seen it myself. When the village wrote to your father we couldn’t possibly just believe such an outrageous claim. But they were persistent and when they wrote they found a way to…to control this _evil_ your father decided we must come and confirm what evils are _real_ before ridding our land of them.”

“I don’t understand,” Seungkwan breathes, eyes wide watching as Hansol is dragged out of the courtyard. “Hansol isn’t evil.”

“Child,” Jiho says, leading Seungkwan in the direction the guards had taken Hansol. “It’s hard to understand I know, it seems impossible. Did you see the boy’s magic?”

Seungkwan nods, as they go from the town hall to the front street. “Yes.”

“Then I fear you may be under his ghastly vile power. The boy is _evil_ , he has _magic_. Unnatural abilities.”

“Hansol has magic, but that doesn’t make him evil.” Seungkwan protests to Jiho. He looks around for Hansol and finds him beneath a massive tree in the town square, rope around his neck. Understanding hits him like a punch to the stomach. “No! Stop this!”

“ _Boy_ , don’t make a fool of yourself, of your father.” Jiho hisses in Seungkwan’s ear, hand wrapping painfully around his wrist. “You were simply sent to confirm the evil was real, and then see to its elimination.”

“Hansol!” Seungkwan cries out, and the other boy looks up and they lock eyes. A guard is pushing him up onto some makeshift ladder, and another is tightening the rope around his long neck.

His eyes are pleading, so unbearably sad. Just minutes ago, they were shining and laughing with Seungkwan. Now tears well in Hansol’s brown eyes, and Seungkwan feels how wet his own cheeks are suddenly.

"Finish this,” Jiho calls, his other hand grabbing, restraining Seungkwan as he tries to pull away.

“Goodbye,” Hansol says, looking to Seungkwan as he falls.

The rope goes taut.

“ _No_!” Seungkwan screams, and then he can’t hold it back any longer. He can’t allow this to happen, he can’t let Hansol be subjected to this fate just because he has magic. Seungkwan is a prince, and he has magic. He has power. And so, he reaches for it.

With a lift of his chin, the rope snaps, it breaks, it’s cut. Hansol falls to the ground, gasping for breath.

In a moment of shock, Jiho loosens her grip, and Seungkwan pulls away. He pushes all his magic out, sending guards flying away from Hansol’s fallen figure.

Seungkwan runs towards him, kneels on the rough ground, and takes the thick rope from Hansol’s neck.   

People are screaming, shocked and confused around them. It doesn’t matter. Seungkwan’s magic is pouring out of him now, creating a barrier around the two of them. Jiho is cursing, calling at him, at guards, at townspeople, it doesn’t matter. The prince ignores it all.

“You saved me,” Hansol coughs, looking at him in awe. He takes Seungkwan’s hands, squeezing them, giving the same smile of absolute wonder as earlier.

“Of course,” Seungkwan says, breathless. “You’re the only person in the world like me. I can’t let them hurt you for something that’s inside both of us.”


End file.
